Improvement in apparatus for the use and recovery of vaporized solvents



J. R.WH1T1N.G'& W.A. LAWRENCE.

APPARATUS FOR THE USE AND RECOVERY 0F VAPORIZED SOLVENTS. v

Nu.170,424.4 Patented Nw.2-s,1a7s.I

NPETERS, FHOTO-LITHOGRPHER. -WASHINGTON, D CA UNITED ,STATES JAMES R. WRITING,

PATENT OFFICEy oF NEwpYoRK, ,AND WILLIAM A. LAWRENCE, oF SPRINGFIELD, L. 1.,'NEW YORK. I

IMPROVEMENT 1N APPARATUS FOR THE usE AND RECOVERY 0E vAP'omzED soLvENTs.Y I

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l 70,424, dated November 23, 1875; applicationiiled August 14, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that We, J. R. WRITING, of New York city, and W. A. LAWRENCE, of Springfield, L. I., in the county of Queens and in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for the Use and Recovery of Vaporized Solvents; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making a part of this specification, in which is shown, in perspective, our improved apparatus.

Our invention is an improvement upon the process ordinarily employed for extract-ing the active principle from hops or other like material; and it consists in the employment of a supplemental condensing-coil, attached to or connected with the apparatus, for vaporiz ing the solvent, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter specified.

In the use of the process commonly employed, the following-described apparatus has been found essential: A

First, an extractor, A, in which the solvent and materials to be dissolved are combined 5 second, a chamber, B, into which the saturated solvent is forced from the extractor and is held for distillation 5 third, a hot coil, C, for receivingl the saturated solvent, and separating said solvent from the substance held in solution, and discharging the latter; fourth, a cold coil, D, for condensing the solvent as it proceeds in a vaporized condition from the hot coil; fifth, a holder, E, for receiving the solvent as it comes from the cold coil, and

containing the same until required for use again within the extractor, when it is forced into the latter by means of a pump, F, and

suitable connecting pipes and valves.v

With this apparatus, the materials to be acted upon are first placed in the extractor A,

land the solvent then pumped into the same from the holder B, where they remain until said solvent has become saturated, said resultl being usually accelerated by the application of heat. The saturated solvent is now forced into the distillingchamber C, partly by its own expansive force, and afterward by the solvent is lost at each operation.

injection of steam or airV into the extractor A, where it is distilled, discharged of the substance held in solution, and condensed in the hot and cold coils described, and then from the latter returned to the holder for another operation.

Now, as vthe solvents used are principally hydrocarbons-and very volatile, it is found that when first introduced into the extractor A, a portion of the solvent vaporizes and must be displaced, to make room for the liquid remainder, for which purpose an escapegvalve is provided, through which such vaporized portion passes, by which means a portion ot' said Again, on emptying the extractor A of the saturated solvent, it is found that after the expansive pressure has exhausted its power, there will still be left in said extractor a portion of the solvent, which, when forced out by injected air or steam, has injured the resulting extract,

while, if permitted to remain in said extractor, upon opening the latter to introduce a new charge of material to be operated upon, said solvent will vaporize, escape into the open air, and be lost. Again, as the separated and recovered solvent is received from the conlensing-coil D into the holder E, that portion which first enters vaporizes, and must be allowed to escape before the remaining liquid can be made to enter.

These difcultiesand losses are overcome by our process, in which we employ a supplemental condensing-coil, G, which is at all times surrounded with cold water, and is connected directly with the escape-val ves of the extractor A and holder E,-\vhen the operation is as follows:

Befortl iillin g the extractor A with the solvent, We open the escape-valve and place its interior in communication with the supplemental condensing-coil G, by which means the vapor vfirst formed from said solvent is withdrawn into said condensing-coil, after which said escape-valve is closed.

When the extractor A is to be discharged of its saturated solvent, it is permitted to blow over7 into the chamber B by its expansive force until no more will pass, when the escape-valve of said extractor is opened, and

` the remaining solvent rapidly and eifectually removed by the operation of a-vacnum Within the condensing-coil G, all without the. necessity of introducing air or steam.

Upon the commencement of distillation from the chamber B, the holder E is placed in communication with the supplemental condensing-coil G, by which means all back pressure is prevented, and all vapor is condensed and saved.

We find that. by the use of our improve ment, the resulting extracts are materially improved in quality and purity; that the operations are conducted with more speed and less labor than heretofore, and that a valuable portion of the solvent and materials heretofore 10st are saved and made available for further USB.

-Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of our invention, what We claim asf new is- In combination with the apparatus for mak- JAMES R. WHITING. t

WILLIAM A. LAWRENCE.

Witnesses:

HENRY E. BRUCE, EDWN M.` WIGHT. 

